By james art BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – We’re on your side talking to city and business leaders about the economic impact of the Magic City Classic.
The state of Alabama may have won on Saturday, but business leaders say the community walked away a winner.
Birmingham leaders expected a local economic impact of more than $20 million. Councilman Hunter Williams is on the board of the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau and says nearly 70,000 fans attended the game.
Williams says visitors come from over 35 different states. This means that all restaurants and hotels are expected to have a good weekend.
“It’s become more than a football game and more than the number one HBCU rivalry. It’s turned into a couple of days and a week of events that keep pumping that money back into the local economy,” Councilor Williams said.
Williams says city and business leaders will be working to compile the data and crunch all the numbers over the next few months. Crystal Bryant s K&J’s elegant sweets brought a food truck to Legion Field this weekend to sell its tasty treats. She says they sold out and plan to do more for the Classic next year.
“I would definitely say bring more inventory and stay there a few more days. I only attended on game day, but there are so many people who are in the area before game day. So maybe I do that. Maybe team up with Legion Field to have something in the ballpark as well,” Bryant said.
In addition to strong food truck sales, Bryant says her brick-and-mortar business uptown also had a great week with so many travelers staying at the Westin and Sheraton just a block down the road.
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